TNAG-0506-FCO40-571-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 82

and

Our reference:

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DDA 65 3/74/9

J M McGregor Esq

United Nations Department

RESTRICTED

HOME OFFICE

Romney House, Marsham Street, LONDON S.W.I

Telephone: 01-799 3488, ext.

Telex: 24986

28 August 1974

RECEIVED IN.

REGISTRY No. 6

15 OCT 1974

UM 47/1

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Downing Street

London S W 1

Dear McGregor

UN NARCOTICS ADVISER IN IRAN

I have received a copy of Miss Whalley's letter to you of 19 August about the appointment of a new UN Narcotics Adviser in Iran and, having had a word with Robin Daten, I am sending my comments on this to you.

G

I visited Teheran in May to attend an international conference on Criminology, and had an opportunity to meet the present incumbent of the post, Mr Baggott, and to form some view of his effectiveness in it, in the light of what I already knew about the general situation in the region and of the impression that I was able to gain during my ten days in Teheran from the police and gendarmerie there (as well as other officials) about the effectiveness of the Iranian effort in this field. The post of UN Narcotics Adviser has been, as Hiss Whalley says, held by UK nationals since 1956. I believe that during the period when Iran was not growing the opium poppy that is, from 1955 to the late 1960's the officials concerned, namely, Mr Richard Tufnell and Ar Mervyn Manby, played a significant part in advising the Iranian Government upon narcotics control matters. Both Tuinell and Manby, whom 1 know personally, had experience as very senior law enforcement officers, in the Colonial Service; Tufnell, for example, was Commissioner of Customs in Singapore. Since 1970, 1 gained the impression that Baggott, pe haps through no particular fault of his own, had had less impact upon

Iranian efforts. in particular, he seemed to a large extent isolated from the law enforcement agencies (police and gendarmerie), since the Narcotics Control Agency is in the Department of Health. Baggott's experience was in Hong Kong where he was in the police service and was for some time Head of the Hong Kong Narcotics Bureau. He is a pleasant enough person who appeared to get on well with Iranian officials, but I am of the opinion that he is not of the same calibre, either intellectually or as a personality, as Tufnell or banby, His apparent ineffectiveness (and I should stress that my view is based only upon the impression gained in ten days' visit) may therei ore to some extent be attributable to his being not really the right man for the post.

Baggott told me that his appointment had been extended for a further year, but

that he thought there was some doubt whether the post itself would be kept after next year.

At the time, I had some doubt as to whether the post was worth the expense on the UN Budget. Un reflection, and in the light of the recent announcement by Turkey that they will be resuming the production of/opium poppy, I think that the permanent presence of the UN in Iran (provided an officer of sufficient calibre can be found) is highly desirable. Regional co-operation against illicit traffic is going to be more important than ever, and countries of the region will need all the support that the UN can give to maintain the momentum that appears to have been achieved partly as a result of the work of the Sub-Commission for the Near and Middle East. The growing UN involvement in this field in Pakistan and the recent appointment of a UN law enforcement adviser in kabul should be complemented by an adviser in Teheran, and in my view his experience should be in the law enforcement field (although this experience should not preclude him from taking a broader view of the problems, of control of narcotic abuse).

1.

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